Door opener

ABSTRACT

A door opener utilizes the force developed by leverage on the jamb or frame of a door proximate its lockset to slip the door&#39;&#39;s latch out of its catch to enable the door to be pushed open. The door opener has a lever arm which is load coupled to a fulcrum arm and an extension arm for the application of the opening force. The extension arm is extensible from the lever arm to develop a mechanical advantage. The fulcrum arm&#39;&#39;s load coupling to the lever arm is at any of a number of longitudinal positions along the lever arm to accommodate different door widths while optimizing the mechanical advantage available with the device. Load transmitting members are eccentrically mounted at the ends of the lever arm and fulcrum arm to provide bearing for the transmission of a door opening load to the door jambs and adjustment for door width. An alternate embodiment provides a door opener with a pair of load transmitting members to bear against opposite door jambs coupled together through a gear sector and a rack. Rotation of a handle secured to the gear sector produces movement of the load transmitting members against the door jambs for freeing the door&#39;&#39;s latch from its catch.

United States Patent [72] Inventor William A. Boller 1300 Milan Ave.. South Pasadena, Calif. 91030 [21] Appl. No. 809,206 [22] Filed Mar. 21, 1969 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 [54] DOOR OPENER 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 254/119 [51 1 Int. Cl. 866i 3/00 (50] Field of Search 254/113,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,992 7/1907 Richardson 254/63 1,249,046 12/1917 Doran 254/123 1,281,936 10/1918 French 254/123 Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-David R. Melton Attorney-Christie, Parker and Hale ABSTRACT: A door opener utilizes the force developed by leverage on the jamb or frame of a door proximate its lockset to slip the doors latch out of its catch to enable the door to be pushed open. The door opener has a lever arm which is load coupled to a fulcrum arm and an extension arm for the application of the opening force. The extension arm is extensible from the lever arm to develop a mechanical advantage. The fulcrum arms load coupling to the lever arm is at any of a number of longitudinal positions along the lever arm to accommodate difierent door widths while optimizing the mechanical advantage available with the device. Load transmitting members are eccentrically mounted at the ends of the lever arm and fulcrum arm to provide bearing for the transmission of a door opening load to the door jambs and adjustment for door width.

An alternate embodiment provides a door opener with a pair of load transmitting members to bear against opposite door jambs coupled together through a gear sector and a rack. Rotation of a handle secured to the gear sector produces movement of the load transmitting members against the door jambs for freeing the doors latch from its catch.

' DOOROPENER' BACKGRO-U N D OF TH E IN V ENTION The present invention relates to a door opener for use by firemen, policemen and the like to open a locked door without damaging the door jambs, and, in particular, to a door opener which accommodates different size doors and which may be used for doors hung in wood or metal frames or jambs.

In emergency situations where access to a room is required by firemen or policemen, it has long been the practiceto break down the locked door. Typically, the door-is broken down by a tire ax. Obviously, this technique destroys the locked door, but it'may have other adverse effects as well; For example, if access to a locked room is required to reacha stricken person, the noise of door destruction can-create anx SUMMARY OF THE'INVENTION The present invention provides a light, small and easilyhandled door opener which utilizes the principle of leverage to obtain a significant mechanical advantage and allowthe spreading apart of a doors frames or jambs to slip the latch of a door free of its catch.

In one form, the present invention contemplates a lever arm which is load coupled to a fulcrum armand an extension arm for applying a load through the lever arm-and fulcrum arm'to the frames of a door. The lever armhas a first endand a secondend, with the second end being adapted to transmitan applied load through a first load transmitting member pivotally mounted to the end. The extension arm is extensible from the leverarm to a pluralityof extended positions. many of these extendedipositions, the extension arm is capable of transmitting bending loads applied to it' by a fireman or the like to the lever arm and, through the lever arm, compresses loads to the fulcrum arm. The fulcrum arm has an end pivotally secured-to a'second load transmitting member for the transmission of applied'l'oads through the fulcrum arm to the fulcrum arm's load'transmitting member andthen to the door frame opposite the frame engagedby the load-transmitting member mounted on the lever arm. Load-coupling means, which maybe apin in the fulcrumarm, provides the load coupling between the lever arm and the fulcrumarm. This load-coupling means is received by means in the lever arm, for example, a plurality oflongitudinally disposed and spaced-apartnotches, for the transmission of a loadapplied on the extension armithrough the lever armand load-coupling means to the fulcrum arm.

In preferred form, the door opener of the present-invention provides means for'collapsing the door openerinto a-compact unit for purposes of storageand ease of handling. This maybe accomplished, input, by aspringclip in the lever arm which is engageable with the fulcrumarrn when the latter is pivoted to the lever arm. The extension arm is collapsible into the i order to provide for even more adjustment to accommodate different door frame widths while providing for door frame spreading, it is preferred to eccentrically mount the loadtransmitting members at the ends of the fulcrum and lever arms. These eccentrically mounted load transmitting members have two bearing surfaces at. right angles [toeach other. The

eccentric mounting of the load-transmitting members, in conjunction with these two bearing surfaces, effects the adjustment by the difference in distance between the bearing faces or-surfacesand the pivot points of the load-transmitting members;

An alternate cmbodiment'of the present invention contemplates the use of two load-transmitting members coupled together for expansion along their longitudinal axes through a rack attached to one member and a sector ofagear attached to the other member. The gearsector engagesthe rack and, when rotated by a'handle, moves the load-transmitting members against the door frames to expand them andifree the latch from the catch. Preferably, the handle is foldable into one of the load-transmitting members when the door opener is collapsed for transit and storage. A sector is employed to facilitate the quick adjustment of the two load-transmitting members by simply disengaging the teeth of the sector from the rack and pulling the two load-transmitting members apart or pushing them together. i

The door openers ofthe present inventionprovide a simple andexpedient way for firemen, policemen and the like to 'gain access into locked rooms without-damaging the door frames or without disturbing occupants of the room. In either version, the door opener of the present invention is light and compact andis, therefore, readily transportable in fire and police vehicles, and can readily be carried'by its potential user.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE FIGURES FIG. l'is a plan view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodimentof the door opener of the present invention inserted between jambs or frames of a door;

FIG. 2 is a view ofthe FIG.- l embodiment'taken along line 2-2 showing the telcscoping'facility of the extension arm into a boxbeam providedfor' it and for transferring bending loads applied tothe extension'armto the balance of the lever arm, as well'as'the load-couplingmeans'for coupling the fulcrum arm with the lever arm;

FIG. 3" is a plan view, partly in section, of an alternate preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a view, partly fragmented, taken alongline 4'4-of FIG. 3;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiment'ofthe invention illustrated'in the first'two FIGS. will initially bedescribed. This embodiment of the invention contemplatesthe use of leverage principles where the application of a relatively small amount of force to anextension .armproduces a multiple of that force applied through a fulcrum arm and the lever arm to the frames of a locked door. This embodiment of the invention provides for the spreading of the door frames under load by angular expansion of the load-transmittting arms.

The embodiment-of the invention illustrated in the firsttwo Figures .includes a fulcrum arm 10, a lever amrl2 and and extension'arm 14. The fulcrum arm isloadcoupled with the lever arm through a load-coupling pin 16. A load applied to the extension arm is transmitted todoor frames by load-transmitting members Hand 19. These load-transmitting members are pivotally carried=by fulcrum armll) and lever arm 12, respectively.

The fulcrum arm is in'theformof a boxbeam having a hollow interior. Load-coupling pin'l6', as shown most clearly in FIG. 2, .is'secured in .one end of the fulcrum arm. A-load-transmittingmemb'er His-pivotally seeuredthrough apivotpin 20 at the othenend of the fulcrum arm. The top and bottom of the box-beam fulcrum arm is cut away .at this-end, as.indi,cated by reference numerals 22 and. 24; to accommodate the pivotal movementof the. load-transmitting member. Similarly, the load-couplingpin receiving-:end of the fulcrum :arm is rounded at 26"for. receipt in a U-shaped channel member 28 of the leverann.

The lever arm is in two sections. The first section is the aforementioned U-shaped channel 28 which receives loadcoupling pin 16. The second section is a box beam 30 coextensive in length with the first section. These sections are welded together at intervals along their length. The first section of the lever arm has longitudinal slots 32 and 33 along each of its sidewalls 34 and 36, respectively. The slots may be dispensed with to make a more compact door opener if their function of retaining fulcrum arm with lever arm 12 by capturing pin 16 is not desired. Notches or'recesses 38 and 40 are regularly disposed longitudinally along the bottom of the slots. In FIG. 1, sidewall 34 and its slot 32 and notches 38 are shown in the cutaway portion on the right of the Figure. The notches are sized to receive pin 16 and to transmit the load applied on the lever arm to the fulcrum arm. The notches are at a slight angle to the normal of the slot into which they open with the axes of the notches tending toward the longitudinal axis of fulcrum arm 10. This angulation is to provide for effective load coupling of the first section of the lever arm through pin 16 to the fulcrum arm by presenting a large bearing surface to the pin without the necessity of having relatively deep notches. The angled notches towards the right-hand side of the lever arm aid in retaining the fulcrum arm collapsed in the channeled first section 28 for storage, as will be described subsequently.

A spring clip 42, shown in the cutout portion at the left side of the first section of the lever arm, is attached to web 44-of section 28 and is disposed to engage fulcrum arm 10 through a hole 46 shown therein at its left end. Spring clip 42 has a U- bend 48 to overlie the wall of fulcrum arm 10 which bounds hole 46. Hole 46 and the spring clip are disposed such that pin [6 is capable of snug engagement in one of the extreme righthand notches of the first section of the lever arm. This provides'a convenient and secure way of storing and transferring the door opener, for the pin cannot lift out of its storing slot because the angle of sidewall on the short side of the slot prevents it. y

Second section 30 of the lever arm receives extension arm 14 within its interior. This extension arm is in the form of a box beam. The second section is upset at 50 and 52 and the extension arm is expanded at 53 at its interior end 54 for the purpose of retaining the extension arm with the second section. Retention is effected because the expansion in the extension cannot clear the upsets in the second section. The second section of the lever arm can house the extension arm and the extension arm can telescope into and out of the second section. A bending load applied to the extension arm is transferred through expansion 53 to wall 56 of section 30, into sidewalls 34 and 36, and into the first section of the lever arm for transmittal to the door frames.

Load-transmitting members l8 and 19 of the present invention are illustrated in FIG. 1. Very simply, load-transmitting member 18 comprises a mounting boss 58, and bearing plates 60 and 62. The bearing plates are disposed at right angles to each other to provide bearing surfaces 64 and 66. Boss 58 is pivotally received on pin 20. Pin 20 is disposed closer to surface 64 than to surface 66; this provides an eccentric effect wherein rotation of one of the bearing plates at one side or'the other affects the distance spanned by the door opener. Load member 19 is identical in its functionand therefore will not be described in detail except to note that it is eccentrically and pivotally mounted through a pin 68 to the first section 28 -of the lever arm. As with the fulcrum arm, first section 28 is cut away at 70 and 72 proximate pin 68 for pivotal movement of load-transmitting member 19.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the first two Figures will now be described. This description will be with reference to a physical embodiment of the invention. For'clarity, a lock side door frame 75, complementary frame'77 and door 79 are shown-"Initially, the door opener is in a collapsed position. In thisposition, pin 16 resides in one pair of the extremeright-hand notches 38, 40, and spring clip'42 engages fulcrum arm 10 with U-bend 48 bearing against the interior wall of the fulcrum arm. Extension arm 14 is telescoped completely within second section 30 of lever arm 12. A fireman or policeman atthe door will snap the fulcrum .arm away from first section 28. Load transmitting member 18 on the end of fulcrum arm 10 is placed flush against door 79 and lock side door frame 75, as close to lock height as is physically permitted."l"he fulcrum arm'is held essentially horizontal and at an angle of approximately 15 to 20 with respect to the plane of the door. This angle allows the load-coupling pin end of the fulcrum arm to be approximately 4 inches from the face of the door in one physical embodiment of the present invention. The other bearing load-transmitting member 19 is also placed flush against door 79 and on the inside of door frame 77 opposite the lock at a height essentially equal to the height of the complementary load-transmitting member. The load-transmitting members are therefore horizontal. Lever arm 12 is rotated until pin 16 is engaged in one of the slots or notches in the first section of the lever arm with its fulcrum point about 4 inches from the door. If a fine adjustment is necessary, either one or both of the load-transmitting members 18 and 19 may be rotated to present the desired bearing surfaces to the door frames. The extension arm is then slid out of the lever arm, say about two feet. A' user such as a fireman then applies a force near the end of the extension arm directed as closely as possible to a perpendicular plane of the door. The resulting lever action forces the two load-transmitting members apart from each other to spread the door jamb until the latch of the lock is allowed to slip by its catch permitting the door to swing open.

The alternateembodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, employs a leverage principle, as employed in the first embodiment, but utilizes a gear sector and a rack. This embodiment of the invention generally includes a first load transmitting member 80, a second loadJransmitting member 82, a rack 84 having teeth 85, a gear sector 86 and a handle 88.

The first load-transmitting member is in the form of a box beam which is slotted at 90 along one longitudinal wall to provide a recess for handle 88. The slot defines a pair of opposed flanges 92 and 94. Rack 84 is secured on 'web 96 of the box beam load-transmitting member 80. The rack'extends a substantial distance along the longitudinal length of this member. A bearing plate 97 closes one end of member 80.

Load-transmitting member 82 is essentially two parallel plates 98 and 100 which are secured together at either end by cross pieces 102 and 104. Crosspiece 102 also serves as a tor. This pin is journaled for rotation in plates 98 and 100.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4will now be described. The door opener is placed between door frames in a horizontal attitude as close as possible to thelockset. Any adjustment for door frame spacing is readily effected by rotating handle 88 clockwise to clear the gear sectors teeth from the rack and by extending or retracting the second load-transmitting member with respect to the first. When the approximately correct position is obtained, the handle is rotated counterclockwise to engage the gear teeth of sector 86 in rack 84. With continued counterclockwise motion of handle 88 in response to a force applied to the handle, the load-transmitting members elongate to expand the door frames and clear a doors latch from its catch.

When the door opener is to be stored, handle 88 is rotated clockwise to clear sector 86 from rack 84. The load-transmitting members are telescoped together. Handle 88 is folded into slot 90. The door opener is then in storage condition.

What I claim is:

ing: 3 a 1 a. a lever arm having a first end, a second end and adapted l. A door opener for use by firemen and the like compristransmit loads applied normal to the longitudinal axis of the extension arm to the lever arm;

c. a fulcrum arm having a first end, a second end' andadapted to transmit a load to a door frame;

d, load-coupling means at the first end of the fulcrum arm to i transmit a compressive load from the lever arm to the fulcrum arm while allowing angular movement between the two, the load-coupling means including a pin secured in the first end of the fulcrum ann;

e. a plurality of notches disposedalong a longitudinal length of the lever arm, each notch being sized to receive the pin and shaped to transmit loads from the lever arm to the f. a first load-transmitting member pivotally connected to the second end of the lever arm having a bearing surface for engagement with a door frame to transmit a load thereto from the lever arm;

g. a second load-transmitting member pivotally connected to the second end of the fulcrum arm having a bearing surface for engagement with a door frame to transmit a load thereto from the lever am; and

h. the first and second load-transmitting members each including a second bearing surface normal to thefirst mentioned bearing surface, the pivotal'connection between the lever arm and the first load-transmitting member and between the fulcrum arm and the second load-transmitting member being eccentrically disposed between their respective bearing surfaces to provide for adjustment in door jamb spacing.

2. The door opener claimedin claim 1 wherein the notches are disposedat a slight angle from the normal to the longitudinal axis of the lever arm with their bases being closer to the second end than their mouths, and means on the lever arm and the fulcrum arm is provided to removably secure the fulcrum arm proximate its second end to the lever arm proximate its second end with the pin in one of the notches to thereby secure the fulcrum arm to the lever arm for storage.

3. The door opener claimed in claim 1 wherein the lever arm includes:

a. a first section having two longitudinally extending, parallel sidewalls, the notches being in the sidewalls, the pin extending from either side of the fulcrum arm for receipt in the notches, and the fulcrum arm being capable of lying between the side. walls of the first section for storage; and b. a second section rigidly secured to the first section, the second section defining a housingfor the extension arm s storage and providing the load coupling of the extension arm and the lever arm for transmitting loads applied normal to the longitudinal axis of the extension arm to the balance of the lever arm, the extension arm being telescopically received in the second section. 

1. A door opener for use by firemen and the like comprising: a. a lever arm having a first end, a second end and adapted to transmit a load to a door frame; b. an extension arm extensibly coupled to the lever arm to extend from the first end thereof into a plurality of extended positions and, while in an extended position, to transmit loads applied normal to the longitudinal axis of the extension arm to the lever arm; c. a fulcrum arm having a first end, a second end and adapted to transmit a load to a door frame; d. load-coupling means at the first end of the fulcrum arm to transmit a compressive load from the lever arm to the fulcrum arm while allowing angular movement between the two, the loadcoupling means including a pin secured in the first end of the fulcrum arm; e. a plurality of notches disposed along a longitudinal length of the lever arm, each notch being sized to receive the pin and shaped to transmit loads from the lever arm to the pin; f. a first load-transmitting member pivotally connected to the second end of the lever arm having a bearing surface for engagement with a door frame to transmit a load thereto from the lever arm; g. a second load-transmitting member pivotally connected to the second end of the fulcrum arm having a bearing surface for engagement with a door frame to transmit a load thereto from the lever arm; and h. the first and second load-transmitting members each including a second bearing surface normal to the first mentioned bearing surface, the pivotal connection between the lever arm and the first load-transmitting member and between the fulcrum arm and the second load-transmitting member being eccentrically disposed between their respective bearing surfaces to provide for adjustment in door jamb spacing.
 2. The door opener claimed in claim 1 wherein the notches are disposed at a slight angle from the normal to the longitudinal axis of the lever arm with their bases being closer to the second end than their mouths, and means on the lever arm and the fulcrum arm is provided to removably secure the fulcrum arm proximate its second end to the lever arm proximate its second end with the pin in one of the notches to thereby secure the fulcrum arm to the lever arm for storage.
 3. The door opener claimed in claim 1 wherein the lever arm includes: a. a first section having two longitudinally extending, parallel sidewalls, the notches being in the sidewalls, the pin extending from either side of the fulcrum arm for receipt in the notches, and the fulcrum arm being capable of lying between the side walls of the first section for storage; and b. a second section rigidly secured to the first section, the second section defining a housing for the extension arm''s storage and providing the load coupling of the extension arm and the lever arm for transmitting loads applied normal to the longitudinal axis of the extension arm to the balance of the lever arm, the extension arm being telescopically received in the second section. 